Becoming a Christian is an Emotional Not Intellectual Decision

Yesterday I found myself deep into a discussion with one of our young people … while the rest of the group listened intently on.

We were deep into the evolution versus creation debate … all the while I was thinking, “Will this young lady ultimately decide because she is satisfied intellectually or satisfied emotionally?

How People Decide to Follow Jesus

I had asked some virtual friends/pastors in an online FB group (2500+ members) that I belong to a while back about their experience with how people make decisions to follow Jesus.

Heart Rules the Head

It appears, though the sample size is small, that 70-80% or so of the decisions made to follow Jesus are emotional decisions … not intellectual.

All Faith Decisions Are Not Made the Same Way

But the decisions are not 100% emotional, are they? Indeed there are some folks who need to be satisfied, inasmuch as is possible, intellectually in their pursuit of faith. And there are some folks who need to be satisfied BOTH emotionally AND intellectually … not one at the expense of the other.

I find it worthwhile to be willing and able to engage with all people who have difficult questions.

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,” 1 Peter 3:15

I may be wrong, but I find that young people today are particularly interested in the whys of our faith. The “You just gotta believe” doesn’t satisfy them.

Disengage Heart and Brain for Best Results

Too often people feel they have to leave their brain at the door when they come to worship, or leave their hearts outside when they walk into a biology class. This should not, must not be the case.

Faith in Jesus will satisfy our hearts as well as our minds.

Neither our hearts nor our brains need be sacrificed at the expense of the other.

Nor, quite often, can both be satisfied if the faithful preacher is not prepared to ‘give an answer.’

“so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you […]